Implementation of ecohydrology to support sustainable water resources management in tropical region, Indonesia

Abstract

Abstract Indonesia is a tropical country with abundant water resources consisting of rivers, lakes, dams, swamps and flood plains. High pressure on these natural resources, mostly related to anthropogenic activities and climate change, tend to increase environmental degradation and water ecosystem deterioration. Various possible efforts need to be considered in order to overcome water related problems in the future. Ecohydrology application will be a useful tool in regulating water circulation, eroded soil transportation, water quality, quantity and availability, and floods and drought risk. Implementation of ecohydrological concept at demonstration site scale in a tributary of the Saguling reservoir catchment, the upper Citarum watershed, Indonesia aims to facilitate different part of stakeholders to have best practices tools and field experiences in dealing with daily water ecosystem and environmental challenges. This study showed a very high erosion at internal demonstration site area, closely related to increase of river water turbidity. Meanwhile, developed modelling system may predict water and sediment yields, soil erosion and deposition sources in good performance, either within the demonstration site or the entire area of upper Citarum watershed. Phytoremediation ponds constructed in the demosite demonstrated their ability to improve water quality through turbidity reduction up to 64%, 76%, 68%, 92%, and 88%, for Lemna, Landoltia, Salvinia, Pistia, and Eichhornia respectively. Understanding and taking into account community characteristics will greatly assist ecohydrology concept implementation around ecohydrology demonstration site in Saguling catchment area.